The four gorillas at Prague Zoo will have company. The three females (Kamba, Kijivu, and Shinda) and the male Ajabu will be joined by the pairs of Duni and Kisumu. Duni is the only daughter of Moji, who was the first gorilla cub ever born in the Czech Republic. The male, Kisumu, is expected to become the continuation of the breeding.
“Duni is the daughter of our Moji, granddaughter of Richard and Kijiva! Yes, we will have the daughter of our first-born gorilla in Prague, the famous Moji! The story continues,” wrote Miroslav Bobek, director of Prague Zoo, on Twitter.
“The move of Duni to Prague will be the result of our efforts years ago to find the best possible location for Moya. Only because the male Niky is genetically precious was Moja able to have little Duni with him in Cabárcen, Spain, in 2013-and now Duni would also get the opportunity to have her cub, “the zoo commented on the circumstances of the move.
The male Kisumu was born in Munich in 1997. From there, he headed to Schmiding, Austria, at seven. So far, he is living in Austria in a puppy group, but in Prague, he will get the chance to become a father.
At the beginning of June, the group of gorillas from the Prague zoo split up. While the females Shinda, Kijivu, and Kamba, as well as the youngest male, Ajabu, relocated to the new exhibit, the male Richard and his sons, Kiburi and Nuru, remained in the original pavilion at the garden’s bottom.
Richard’s line is now so over-represented in European breeding that he is no longer allowed to have cubs. The continuation of gorilla breeding is, therefore, ensured by the newly arrived male.
The new gorilla pavilion at Prague Zoo will open to visitors on 28 September. The zoo hopes that all formalities will be completed by then, and the two gorillas can get acquainted with the new group.